HILTON HEAD ISLAND — The RBC Heritage provided a tough week for several players with area connections. But with a final-round 68, Beaufort native Mark Anderson provided some good vibes on the tournament’s final day for Lowcountry golf fans.

After a couple of nondescript days at the Harbour Town Golf Links, Anderson settled in over the weekend and wound up with a top-15 finish. The PGA rookie entered Saturday’s third round at 2-over par, but he fired rounds of 69 and 68 to tie Vaughn Taylor, Brian Davis and Robert Garrigus for 13th.

It was Anderson’s best finish in a PGA event, and it netted him $106,875.

“I know the golf course fairly well,” Anderson said. “It’s one of those courses that never gets old. Every shot you hit is different. It’s a lot of fun in that respect.”

Stanley began the second round at even par and got to 3 under on Friday, but things fell apart with a triple bogey on the 18th hole. He was 6 over after shooting a 76 on Saturday and finished tied for 60th at 6 over.

Savannah’s Brian Harman, another rookie, hovered around par for the first few days before falling all the way to 70th with a round of 82 on Sunday. He tied for 70th.

SNEDEKER LIMPS TO FINISH

It looked like history might repeat itself for Brandt Snedeker after a mini-rally on Saturday.

The 2011 Heritage winner made a couple of late birdies to get within striking distance of the lead. That brought back memories of last year’s final round, in which he erased a six-shot deficit and won in a playoff.

“You know, I have a knack Sunday coming from behind,” Snedeker said Saturday. “I feel like I’m rolling it the best I’ve rolled it all year, which gives me a lot of confidence going into (Sunday).”

But it never happened Sunday for Snedeker, who made two bogeys and two double bogeys on the back nine to shoot 75. He fell back into a tie for 17th.

DONALD FALLS TO NO. 2

Luke Donald never got it together, and it cost him the top spot in the world.

Donald needed a top-eight finish at the Heritage to hold onto No. 1 in the world golf rankings, but he never really came close. He finished at 2-over par and tied for 37th.

Rory McIlroy, who took the week off, moved into the top spot Monday and Donald fell to second.

Donald, who had placed in the top three at Harbour Town for three years running, shot only one round under par last week.